Bespoke Shirt “Dress Shirt” Review

In Part 2, I introduced the fitting process for the dress shirt.

This time, I would like to introduce the finished shirt.

Completion

The fabric is a 120/2 poplin from Alumo of Switzerland, which I was experiencing for the first time. I simply asked Mr. Ikeda for a very pale sax blue, and this is the fabric he suggested.

Mr. Ikeda also said that Alumo is his favorite among shirt fabrics. I had never worn a shirt made with Alumo fabric before, but after wearing the finished shirt several times, I came to understand very clearly why he recommended it.

The fabric is smooth and slightly moist to the touch, so it feels soft and comfortable against the skin. Rather than losing this quality after washing, it seems to become even more comfortable with each wash. I have always liked the dry, crisp texture of fabrics such as Thomas Mason, but from now on I may find myself drawn to this softer, more "wet" texture.

From the fabric choice to the shirt interlining, which I will mention later, one of the fascinating aspects of bespoke is that it can overturn your fixed ideas and broaden your sense of value in a way that ready-made shirts cannot.

Let me go through the details.

The armhole.

The seam allowance is made wider at the part that sits on top of the shoulder, placing importance on durability. As it moves toward the underarm, the seam allowance becomes narrower. Because the seam allowance under the arm is narrow, it does not interfere when the arms are lowered.

Also, most well-tailored jackets have small armholes, so this detail is designed with the shirt's role as the layer worn under such jackets in mind.

The ingenuity is not limited to the width of the seam allowance. If you look closely at the stitching, the main stitching is hand-sewn, but only part of the underarm area is switched to machine stitching.

By hand-stitching the armhole, a little give is created in the seam. This creates a slight flexibility and gives a softer wearing feel than machine stitching, which holds more firmly.

However, for the underarm area, where strong tension can be applied depending on movements such as raising the arm, stronger machine stitching is considered more suitable. This is a detail unique to a bespoke shirt, where no time or effort is spared, and it shows Mr. Ikeda's very rational approach.

Offset sleeves.

At the level of a bespoke shirt, this may be considered a natural detail, but the sleeves and body are sewn separately, and the sleeves are attached afterward. The visible feature is that the sleeve seam and the side seam of the body are offset from each other.

In most ready-made shirts and made-to-order shirts, apart from some shirts with particularly careful construction, the sleeve seam and the body's side seam are connected. This allows the longest seam to be sewn in one continuous line, so it is easy to imagine how much more efficient that is. In other words, a shirt with offset sleeves requires much more time and effort.

Why go to that effort? First, because the seam allowance of the sleeve and the seam allowance of the body do not overlap, the seam does not become bulky under the arm, making the shirt more comfortable to wear.

Another important advantage is that the direction in which the sleeve is attached is not restricted by the position of the body's side seam. This allows the sleeve to be set forward in a way that follows the natural movement of the arm.

For the collar, I requested a slightly smaller wide-spread collar. I felt that one of the characteristics of Mr. Ikeda's collars is that they have a soft impression while also being very sharp. The tie sits beautifully, and the collar works perfectly with the gorge lines of the jackets I own. It has become one of my favorite collars. Having an original collar made to suit the clothes you already own and the atmosphere you want to create is something even ordinary made-to-order shirts cannot easily imitate.

Please also look at the stitching along the edge of the collar. The standard stitch width for Mr. Ikeda's shirts is 3 mm from the edge. Compared with the stitching on many ready-made or made-to-order shirts, it is narrow, and this gives the shirt a sharp and dignified impression.

Let me also talk about the interlining. Shirts always have interlining in the collar and cuffs. RYO IKEDA's standard is not a floating interlining, where the fabric and interlining are separate, but a fused interlining, also known as top-fused interlining. I had long held the idea that, apart from some exceptions such as Fray and Luigi Borrelli, "a good shirt equals floating interlining." All of my own made-to-order shirts had also used floating interlining, so I was surprised when Mr. Ikeda first suggested fused interlining. However, after experiencing it with this Alumo fabric, I understood that the finer and smoother the fabric, the greater the advantage of a permanently fused interlining.

With floating interlining, the fabric and interlining are separate except where they are held by stitching, so depending on the stiffness of the interlining, the overall impression is soft and natural wrinkles or waviness can appear. With fused interlining, however, there is no gap between the fabric and the interlining, and that does not change even after repeated washing. As a result, even the curved part of the collar leaf, where floating interlining would inevitably create some wrinkles, remains crisp and clean. It depends on the fabric and preference, but especially for dress shirts, I would recommend fused interlining.

I like the way the gathered sleeve flows into the crisp cuff.

The cuffs, like the collar, are cleanly finished with fused interlining. They are curved cuffs with a conical shape, fitting closely and comfortably around the wrist.

RYO IKEDA's sleeve placket is narrower than a typical one, giving it an elegant impression. Mr. Ikeda's standard is not to add a button to the sleeve placket, but I prefer not to have my wrist visible through the opening, so I asked him to add one. While Mr. Ikeda has his own recommendations, he also responds flexibly to requests like this, which is another appeal of RYO IKEDA's bespoke shirts.

A small brand label is placed not on the collar, but on the inside of the front placket. It feels very modest and elegant.

The side seam is felled.

When hearing "high-end bespoke shirt," some people may imagine an extremely narrow felled seam, but RYO IKEDA's felled seam is approximately 4 mm.

I had also imagined a very narrow felled seam at first, so this was unexpected. However, once I saw and wore the shirt, I understood the reason from the flatness and softness of the seam allowance. If the felled seam is made extremely narrow, around 1 to 2 mm, the seam allowance inevitably overlaps more, making the seam quite firm. By intentionally choosing this width, the overlap of the seam allowance is reduced, resulting in a seam that feels flat and very soft. It also provides a sense of reliability in terms of durability.

If the priority is appearance alone, an ultra-narrow felled seam may be attractive. But I like how Mr. Ikeda's approach reflects his commitment to the essence of the shirt.

The rolled hem is also beautifully finished. Like the side felled seam, it is flat, so it feels smooth when tucked in and does not feel bulky inside the trousers.

Gathered details.

For my shirt, I asked for gathers at the back, the sleeve attachment, and the cuffs. Mr. Ikeda's shirts can provide enough movement even without gathers, but I personally like the expressive atmosphere they create, so I requested them.

The generous gathers running from end to end are something unique to handmade work. I like how they still have presence when I take off my jacket and wear the shirt on its own.

Wearing the Shirt

I put the shirt on. The first thing I noticed was that the amount of ease was just right. When people hear "made-to-order shirt," they may imagine a shirt that fits the body very closely, but it may be more accurate to say that this shirt follows the body.

The collar, cuffs, shoulder width, front chest area, and armholes are fitted precisely, while the other areas are given the necessary ease. This balance of holding where it should hold and giving room where room is needed creates a wonderfully comfortable fit with a clear sense of contrast.

About the length. Since this is a dress shirt, the body length reaches below the hips. It follows the traditional longer length, both because the shirt serves as a layer tucked into trousers and because it prevents the hem from coming out of the trousers.

The sleeve length also has plenty of necessary ease. Because the cuffs fit closely around the wrists, enough movement is calculated into the sleeves so that the cuffs are not pulled when the arms are extended forward.

Compared with the ease in the body and the length, posture correction is something that can easily be overlooked.

When a shirt is buttoned, it becomes like a tube. If the direction of that tube does not match the body, a person with a backward-leaning posture may have fabric pooling at the back and wrinkles at the front, as if the front body is being pulled by the chest. Conversely, with a forward-leaning posture, the back body may lift and the front body may pool, creating wrinkles.

With a very tight shirt, perhaps this point may not stand out as much. However, when the direction of the shirt matches the body both front and back, the fabric falls beautifully, and the comfort is exceptional. This level of body correction is difficult not only for ready-made shirts, but also for ordinary made-to-order shirts. In other words, it is one of the true strengths of bespoke.

According to my preference, I asked for generous gathers across the back.

This is not only about gathers, but also about a construction using the yoke. The area around the shoulder blades is shaped three-dimensionally, so even people with prominent shoulder blades can wear the shirt without wrinkles or stress across the back.

It is difficult to choose just one part that explains the comfort of a RYO IKEDA shirt, because the comfort is created by the total balance. However, I think this use of the yoke to create volume across the back is, along with the treatment of the forward shoulder, one of the major points where you can feel the difference from an ordinary made-to-order shirt.

It may be slightly difficult to see because of the gathers, but because the shoulder slope is matched properly, the fabric falls cleanly over the back. Since the posture correction mentioned above is also correct, the back body does not hit the hips awkwardly and follows the body naturally. This is an ideal back view.

Even when I extend my arms fully forward, there is no shortage of ease across the back. Keeping the front body neat while giving generous ease to the back body is one of the fundamentals of a dress shirt.

The hand stitching around the armhole, arranged almost like stars, is charming. Together with the gathers, it is one of the details that shows the appeal of handmade work.

This is the yoke seen from above. Unlike a jacket, a shirt does not have a shoulder seam, so the yoke plays an important role as the foundation of the shirt, including the shoulder slope.

I also like the gathers, which feel almost like the shirring on a jacket sleeve.

This is the armhole seen from the front. The shallowness of the armhole is exactly what you would expect from bespoke. I also love how the seam allowance of the sleeve attachment becomes narrower toward the underarm. The hand stitching adds a beautiful accent to that area.

The cuff fits closely around the wrist. Like the collar, it has a crisp finish with fused interlining, which feels very pleasant. The contrast with the gathered sleeve is also very attractive.

The collar follows the neck with a beautifully judged outer curve. It is shaped with a hollowed curve so that it does not hit the collarbone. The fine 3 mm stitching is also beautiful.

Considering its compatibility with the gorge line of a bespoke suit, I chose a modest semi-wide collar. I noticed this later, but the expression when worn without a tie and with the button open is also very good. It made me more willing to incorporate no-tie styling into my outfits, even though I had previously thought it did not suit me.

A French front, with no chest pocket. This is the classic style of a dress shirt.

Shirt fabric does not stretch, so ease must be added to prevent pulling. This ease creates a contrast with the crisp areas where interlining is used, such as the cuffs and collar, and that contrast becomes part of the unique character of a shirt. A good shirt has many good wrinkles.

Even when I extend my arms forward, the hem is not pulled upward, so naturally the shirt hem is less likely to come out of the trousers. The necessary ease in the sleeves is very carefully calculated.

The comfort of a shirt is greatly affected by how little stress there is in this movement, which we repeat many times throughout the day.

The high and shallow armhole makes it very easy to move the arms forward. You can see how the generous ease from the back through the side body is fully working.

One of RYO IKEDA's principles is not to make back darts. If you want to shape the waist, adding back darts makes it relatively easy to narrow the waist while keeping the side seams fairly straight. However, this also creates seams on the back. A shirt without seams on the back allows the fabric to fall softly and naturally, and I feel that a back with as few seams as possible gives a softer and more stress-free wearing experience.

Creating waist shaping through the side seams without relying on back darts may sound simple, but it means the side seams must become curved, which requires advanced sewing skill.

The organic side line connects from the shallow armhole to the shaped waist and then to the fullness around the hips. The side seam is curved precisely because back darts are not used. This commitment leads to a unique beauty.

The hem is directed toward the hips. This allows the shirt hem to sit below the hips and helps prevent it from coming out of the trousers.

A square gusset is sewn on the inside. A gusset is a reinforcing piece of fabric at the point where the side seam ends. When people think of luxury dress shirts, they may imagine a showy gusset with a brand name on it, but here it is intentionally modest. I like the quiet statement that the essence of the shirt should be seen instead.

The sleeve head climbs up toward the shoulder. The shirt is designed so that the sleeve attachment sits inside the actual shoulder width. As a result, the protruding part of the forward shoulder avoids the seam and sits within the fuller part of the sleeve, so there is no stress from the forward shoulder hitting the seam. The upper part of the sleeve has generous ease both front and back, and that fullness wraps around the thickness of the shoulder.

However, even if there is enough ease at the forward shoulder, if there is not enough room in the back body around the shoulder blades, the forward shoulder can still end up feeling tight. As mentioned above, Mr. Ikeda's shirt creates volume across the back using the yoke, so the shoulder blade area is also beautifully handled. It is an excellent design: the shoulder width looks narrow and neat, yet there is volume front and back, creating a very comfortable fit.

The inward shoulder and small, high armhole are also essential for a dress shirt that is designed to be worn under a jacket. Shirts with larger shoulders and relaxed armholes, as seen in American traditional style, certainly have their own charm. However, they are not necessarily compatible with the small armholes of high-quality made-to-measure or bespoke jackets.

I believe a dress shirt that understands its role should have appropriate ease in the body, while the shoulders, armholes, and sleeves are made compactly so that they work in harmony with the structure of a jacket.

You may be able to see how the tip of my shoulder is wrapped by the sleeve. There is also three-dimensional ease around the chest, so there is no pulling even when making a movement that opens the chest.

A bespoke shirt designed with such thorough consideration for comfort and compatibility with jackets gains a special atmosphere through the accumulation of these details. It has a unique feeling: fitted, yet relaxed.

Impressions

It has been some time since I welcomed Mr. Ryo Ikeda's bespoke shirt into my wardrobe. Both the appearance and comfort are excellent, and I find myself naturally reaching for it often. Made-to-measure shirts are also very comfortable, so I had some concern about whether there was really meaning in ordering a bespoke shirt, and whether I would be able to feel the difference. But after wearing it, I understood its value and the difference it offers.

In summer, I often commute or travel without a jacket and without a tie. A bespoke shirt has enough presence to look good even on its own, giving me a sense of confidence. A shirt and slacks may be a very ordinary style, but a shirt with just the right amount of ease and delicate handmade details creates an atmosphere that feels truly special. A comfortable shirt can make the entire day feel better.

A new shirt is wonderful, but a shirt that has been washed and worn repeatedly becomes more familiar to both the body and the mind. RYO IKEDA's bespoke shirts are supple yet sturdily made. Even when washed thoroughly in a washing machine, they remain completely reliable, and even after wearing it more than ten times, not a single button has loosened.

If you think of shirts as consumable items, a bespoke shirt may seem expensive and unrealistic. However, once you wear one, I believe you will understand that, considering its quality, it is actually very reasonable.

Shirts usually begin to wear out at the collar and cuffs, but with RYO IKEDA's bespoke shirts, Mr. Ikeda keeps all of the customer's remaining fabric, so the collar and cuffs can be replaced. Since many of the fabrics are standard fabrics, even if the remaining fabric runs out, it may be possible to order more and replace those parts. When you think about it that way, I believe you can understand how long these shirts can be worn.

For many people, shirts are garments worn almost every day. That is exactly why I would like to recommend wearing a bespoke shirt that truly fits your body. Because it is something you wear regularly, I believe you will be deeply moved by the difference. I think the ultimate role of clothing is to help the wearer live a happier and more peaceful life. If you wear a comfortable and beautiful bespoke shirt, I am sure it will help make your everyday life even happier.

RYO IKEDA Bespoke Shirt Order Event
Friday, November 7 and Saturday, November 8, 2025
13:00 - 19:00 by appointment

On the above dates, shirt craftsman Mr. Ryo Ikeda will visit our store,
and we will hold a bespoke shirt order event.

<Lineup>
Dress shirts, casual shirts
Chore jackets, safari jackets
Jungle fatigue jackets
Shirt jackets in general

<Fabrics>
Cotton, linen
Lightweight wool and cashmere, etc.

<Fabric Makers>
Alumo, Albini
Thomas Mason, Soktas
Canclini, Solbiati
Spence Bryson, Carlo Riva, etc.

<Price>
Shirts from ¥49,500 including tax
Jackets from ¥110,000 including tax

<Delivery Time>
Approximately 4 months
About 2 months until the fitting, and about 2 months from the fitting to completion

*For second and subsequent orders, if no fitting is required, the delivery time is approximately 2 months.

*Please note that the delivery time may vary slightly depending on the order situation.

Contact Us Make a Reservation

The Dressing Lab holds bespoke shirt measurement events every two months. If the event dates do not fit your schedule, we may also be able to arrange an individual appointment, so please feel free to contact us.